Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2010 Financial Results

CARY, NC--(Marketwire - November 04, 2010) - Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CRTX) today reported net income of $0.8 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2010, compared to a net loss of $0.5 million, or ($0.03) per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2009. On a non-GAAP basis, net income was $3.8 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2010, compared to non-GAAP net income of $1.8 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP net income and EPS for the third quarter exclude amortization of product rights, acquisition-related expenses in connection with the Chiesi transaction, and stock-based compensation.

Total net revenues were $27.9 million for the third quarter of 2010, representing a 21% increase over the $23.1 million reported for the third quarter last year. Total net revenues for the first nine months of 2010 were $92.8 million compared to the $78.8 million for the first nine months of 2009.

Net product sales from strategic products were 63% of total net revenues, or $17.7 million, for the third quarter of 2010, a substantial increase from the 38% of total net revenues, or $8.8 million, for the third quarter of 2009.

"We continue to be pleased with the overall growth of the company, the advancement of our development projects and our movement away from legacy products," said Craig A. Collard, Cornerstone's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We continue to focus on building a portfolio of approved products with long-term growth potential which will enable us to provide enhanced value to patients and shareholders."

A breakdown of product sales for the third quarter (in thousands) follows:

                                      Three Months Ended
                                         September 30,         Change
                                      ------------------  ----------------
                                        2010      2009       $        %
                                      --------  --------  -------  -------
Net product sales
  Curosurf(R)                         $  8,051  $  2,153  $ 5,898      274%
  Factive(R)                               850        91      759      834
  Spectracef(R) product family           1,194     1,554     (360)     (23)
  Zyflo(R) product family                7,574     5,034    2,540       50
  AlleRx(R) Dose Pack products           3,812     3,541      271        8
  HyoMax(R) product family               2,002     7,616   (5,614)     (74)
  Propoxyphene/acetaminophen products    2,935     2,949      (14)      NM
  Other products                            (8)      140     (148)    (106)
                                      --------  --------  -------  -------
  Total net product sales               26,410    23,078    3,332       14
License and royalty agreement revenues   1,522        --    1,522       NM
                                      --------  --------  -------  -------
Net revenues                            27,932    23,078    4,854       21
                                      ========  ========  =======  =======

Gross margin was 71% for the third quarter, compared to 82% for the comparable period of 2009. The lower gross margin compared to the prior period was due to a relatively higher portion of our net product sales in 2010 derived from products that have lower gross margins, primarily Curosurf.

Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $0.3 million, or 3%, in the third quarter of 2010 compared to the third quarter of 2009. The decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily due to lower stock compensation and reduced legal and consulting costs, as compared to the third quarter of 2009 when we incurred significant expenses related to the Chiesi transaction. The decrease was partially offset by costs related to additions to our hospital sales force in September 2009, co-promotion expenses relating to Zyflo CR® and certain propoxyphene/acetaminophen products, as well as increased market research.

Royalty expenses decreased $2.0 million, or 43%, during the third quarter of 2010 compared to the third quarter of 2009. The reduction in royalty expense was primarily due to the reduction in net revenue from one of our legacy products, offset by increased royalties for Zyflo CR.

As of September 30, 2010, the Company had $49.7 million in cash and cash equivalents, an increase of $30.8 million compared to December 31, 2009.

Conference Call Information

Cornerstone Therapeutics will host a conference call today at 4:30 PM ET to discuss its financial results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2010. Management will also provide an update on the Company's strategy, operations and product development pipeline. To participate in the live conference call, please dial 866-804-6927 (U.S. callers) or 857-350-1673 (international callers), and provide passcode 19358387. A live webcast of the call will also be available through the "Investors--Webcasts & Presentations" section of the Company's website at http://www.crtx.com. Please allow extra time prior to the webcast to register for the webcast and to download and install any necessary audio software.

The conference call and the webcast will be archived for 30 days. The telephone replay of the call will be available today at 07:30 PM ET, by dialing 888-286-8010 (U.S. callers) or 617-801-6888 (international callers), and providing passcode 43083287.

About Cornerstone Therapeutics

Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CRTX), headquartered in Cary, N.C., is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing products primarily for the respiratory and related markets. The Company currently promotes multiple marketed products in the United States to respiratory-focused physicians, key retail pharmacies and hospitals with its specialty sales forces. The Company also has a late-stage clinical pipeline with a recent regulatory submission filing and four additional regulatory approval submissions targeted within the next three years. Key elements of the Company's strategy are to pursue acquisition or licensing transactions to acquire the rights to patent-protected, branded respiratory or related pharmaceutical products, or late-stage product candidates; to implement life cycle management strategies to maximize the potential value and competitive position of the Company's currently marketed products, newly acquired products and product candidates that are currently in development; to grow product revenue through the Company's specialty sales forces; and to maintain and strengthen the intellectual property position of the Company's currently marketed products, newly acquired products and product candidates.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release highlights the Company's financial results on both a GAAP and a non-GAAP basis. The GAAP results include certain costs and charges that are excluded from non-GAAP results. By publishing the non-GAAP financial measures, management intends to provide investors with additional information to further analyze the Company's performance and underlying trends. Management evaluates results and makes operating decisions using both GAAP and non-GAAP measures included in this press release. Non-GAAP results are not prepared in accordance with GAAP, and non-GAAP information should be considered a supplement to, and not a substitute for, financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Investors and potential investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures attached to this press release.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this press release regarding the progress and timing of our product development programs and related trials; our future opportunities; our strategy, future operations, anticipated financial position, future revenues and projected costs; our management's prospects, plans and objectives; and any other statements about management's future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including, without limitation, statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements.

There are a number of important factors that could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including risks relating to our ability to develop and maintain the necessary sales, marketing, supply chain, distribution and manufacturing capabilities to commercialize our products; our ability to replace the revenues from our marketed unapproved products, which we plan to cease manufacturing and distributing at the end of 2010; the possibility that the Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) will take enforcement action against us or one or more of our marketed drugs that do not have FDA-approved marketing applications prior to the end of 2010; patient, physician and third-party payor acceptance of our products as safe and effective therapeutic products; our ability to maintain regulatory approvals to market and sell our products with FDA-approved marketing applications; our ability to obtain FDA approval to market and sell our products under development; our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates before our competitors develop and commercialize competing products; difficulties relating to clinical trials, including difficulties or delays in the completion of patient enrollment, data collection or data analysis; the results of preclinical studies and clinical trials with respect to our products under development and whether such results will be indicative of results obtained in later clinical trials; and the other factors described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on March 4, 2010 and in our subsequent filings with the SEC. If one or more of these factors materialize, or if any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results, performance or achievements may vary materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

In addition, the statements in this press release reflect our expectations and beliefs as of the date of this release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our expectations and beliefs to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements publicly at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, business development transactions, joint ventures or investments that we may make or enter into. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date after the date of this release.

Trademarks

Tussionex® is a registered trademark of UCB, Inc. Curosurf® is owned by Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. Factive® is owned by LG Life Sciences, Ltd. Curosurf and Factive are licensed to Cornerstone Therapeutics for sales and marketing purposes in the United States and, with respect to Factive®, certain other countries.

FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW

                CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.

           CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
      (In thousands, except share and per share data)

                           Three Months Ended        Nine Months Ended
                             September 30,             September 30,
                        ------------------------  ------------------------
                           2010         2009         2010         2009
                        -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                               (Unaudited)               (Unaudited)
Net revenues            $    27,932  $    23,078  $    92,803  $    78,776
Costs and expenses:
  Cost of product sales
   (exclusive of
   amortization of
   product rights)            7,742        4,143       22,714       10,245
  Selling, general and
   administrative            12,850       13,186       38,089       34,023
  Royalties                   2,600        4,593        9,846       16,535
  Research and
   development                1,047          691        3,748        3,041
  Amortization of
   product rights             3,595        1,507       10,785        2,528
                        -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
    Total costs and
     expenses                27,834       24,120       85,182       66,372
                        -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) from
 operations                      98       (1,042)       7,621       12,404
                        -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Other expenses:
  Interest (expense)
   income, net                  (37)           1          (47)        (113)
  Other expense, net            (25)          --          (25)          --
                        -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
    Total other
     (expenses) income          (62)           1          (72)        (113)
                        -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) before
 income taxes                    36       (1,041)       7,549       12,291
Benefit from (provision
 for) income taxes              728          503       (2,172)      (4,776)
                        -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Net income (loss)       $       764  $      (538) $     5,377  $     7,515
                        ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
Net income (loss) per
 share, basic           $      0.03  $     (0.03) $      0.21  $      0.50
                        ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
Net income (loss) per
 share, diluted         $      0.03  $     (0.03) $      0.21  $      0.46
                        ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
Weighted-average common
 shares, basic           25,430,785   20,741,322   25,395,506   15,009,285
                        ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
Weighted-average common
 shares, diluted         26,056,928   20,741,322   26,017,288   16,249,578
                        ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========




                       CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.

                       CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
             (In thousands, except share and per share data)

                                               September 30,  December 31,
                                                   2010           2009
                                               -------------  -------------
                                                 (Unaudited)
Assets
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                    $      49,672  $      18,853
  Accounts receivable, net                            15,845         16,548
  Inventories, net                                    19,762         18,106
  Prepaid and other current assets                     3,024          4,808
  Income tax receivable                                  991             --
  Deferred income tax asset                            3,858          3,507
                                               -------------  -------------
    Total current assets                              93,152         61,822
                                               -------------  -------------
Property and equipment, net                            1,587          1,312
Product rights, net                                  116,271        126,806
Goodwill                                              13,231         13,231
Amounts due from related parties                          38             38
Other assets                                             374            113
                                               -------------  -------------
    Total assets                               $     224,653  $     203,322
                                               =============  =============
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                             $       9,344  $       7,172
  Accrued expenses                                    28,582         23,703
  Current portion of license agreement
   liability                                           1,227          1,019
  Current portion of capital lease                        81             10
  Income taxes payable                                    --          1,606
  Deferred revenue                                     9,195             --
                                               -------------  -------------
    Total current liabilities                         48,429         33,510
                                               -------------  -------------
License agreement liability, less current
 portion                                               1,341          1,341
Capital lease, less current portion                      167             39
Deferred income tax liability                          3,496          4,564
                                               -------------  -------------
    Total liabilities                                 53,433         39,454
                                               -------------  -------------
Stockholders' equity
  Preferred stock -- $0.001 par value,
   5,000,000 shares authorized; no shares
   issued and outstanding                                 --             --
  Common stock -- $0.001 par value, 90,000,000
   shares authorized; 25,442,596 and 25,022,644
   shares issued and outstanding as of
   September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009,
   respectively                                           25             25
  Additional paid-in capital                         159,720        157,745
  Retained earnings                                   11,475          6,098
                                               -------------  -------------
    Total stockholders' equity                       171,220        163,868
                                               -------------  -------------
    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $     224,653  $     203,322
                                               =============  =============




                      CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.

                  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                             (In thousands)

                                                    Nine Months Ended
                                                      September 30,
                                                --------------------------

                                                    2010          2009
                                                ------------  ------------
                                                        (Unaudited)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income                                      $      5,377  $      7,515
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
 cash provided by operating activities:
  Amortization and depreciation                       11,070         2,695
  Provision for prompt payment discounts               2,909         2,316
  Provision for inventory allowances                     199           506
  Loss on sale of fixed assets                            25            --
  Stock-based compensation                               970         2,970
  Benefit from deferred income taxes                  (1,419)       (4,664)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
  Accounts receivable                                 (2,206)      (16,812)
  Inventories                                         (1,855)       (5,271)
  Prepaid expenses and other assets                    1,523        (2,086)
  Accounts payable                                     2,172        (2,186)
  Accrued expenses                                     5,087         5,796
  Income taxes payable                                (2,597)          228
  Deferred revenue                                     9,195            --
                                                ------------  ------------
  Net cash provided by (used in) operating
   activities                                         30,450        (8,993)
                                                ------------  ------------
Cash flows from investing activities
Proceeds from sale of marketable securities               --           300
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets                         2            --
Purchase of property and equipment                      (361)         (250)
Purchase of product rights                              (250)       (5,169)
                                                ------------  ------------
  Net cash used in investing activities                 (609)       (5,119)
                                                ------------  ------------
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options           538           401
Proceeds from issuance of shares of common stock          --        15,465
Payments for cancellation of warrants                     --           (41)
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation         467            --
Principal payments on capital lease obligation           (27)           (7)
                                                ------------  ------------
  Net cash provided by financing activities              978        15,818
                                                ------------  ------------
  Net increase in cash and cash equivalents           30,819         1,706
Cash and cash equivalents as of beginning of year     18,853         9,286
                                                ------------  ------------
Cash and cash equivalents as of end of year     $     49,672  $     10,992
                                                ============  ============

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing
 and financing activities
Acquisition of product rights through equity
 issued and liabilities assumed                 $         --  $    110,050
                                                ============  ============




                CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC.

        RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
  (In thousands, except share and per share data - unaudited)

The following tables show the non-GAAP financial measures used in this
press release reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP financial
measures.

                             Three Months Ended       Nine Months Ended
                                September 30,           September 30,
                               2010        2009        2010        2009
                            ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
GAAP income (loss) from
 operations                $        98  $   (1,042) $    7,621  $   12,404
  Add: stock-based
   compensation                    315         305         970       1,157
  Add: amortization of
   product rights                3,595       1,507      10,785       2,528
  Add: acquisition-related
   expenses(1)                      --       1,795          --       3,263
                            ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
Non-GAAP income from
 operations                $     4,008  $    2,565  $   19,376  $   19,352

GAAP net income (loss)     $       764  $     (538) $    5,377  $    7,515
  Add: stock-based
   compensation                    315         305         970       1,157
  Add: amortization of
   product rights                3,595       1,507      10,785       2,528
  Add: acquisition-related
   expenses(1)                      --       1,795          --       3,263
  Less: tax effects related
   to above items(2)              (840)     (1,316)     (3,382)     (2,703)
                            ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
Non-GAAP net income         $    3,834  $    1,753  $   13,750  $   11,760
                            ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

GAAP net income (loss) per
 share, diluted             $     0.03  $    (0.03) $     0.21  $     0.46
                            ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========
Non-GAAP net income per
 share, diluted             $     0.15  $     0.08  $     0.53  $     0.72
                            ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

Shares used in diluted net
 income (loss) per share
 calculation:
  GAAP net income (loss)    26,056,928  20,741,322  26,017,288  16,249,578
                            ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========
  Non-GAAP net income       26,056,928  21,679,818  26,017,288  16,249,578
                            ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========


(1) Acquisition-related expenses include legal, accounting and related
 costs that resulted from or were incurred in connection with the Chiesi
 transaction.

(2) Tax effects for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009 are
 calculated using effective tax rates of 21.5% and 36.5% respectively. Tax
 effects for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009 are
 calculated using effective tax rates of 28.8% and 38.9% respectively.

CONTACT:
Investor Relations Contacts:
Westwicke Partners
John Woolford
+1-443-213-0506
Email Contact

or

Westwicke Partners
Stefan Loren, Ph.D.
+1-443-213-0507
Email Contact

Media Relations Contact:
Fleishman-Hillard
Andrea Moody
+1-919-457-0743
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